TWCL

[HappyBlueFeathers]

Hi!

I'm new to both comics making and this forum, and I wondered if anyone had any general advice for someone starting comics?

Thanks a lot in advance

[smbhax.com]

Oh hey, welcome to the forum! : D

General advice on making a comic is a broad topic! So I guess I will just say, make something you'll have fun doing. : )
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[rd_inks]

Hello and welcome (coming from a fellow newbie to TWCL!)

Conventional advice normally dictates not to go with your first idea, but I'm having a blast with mine so far. But instead of trying side stories etc first, I let it marinate over 2 years and continually updated/reflected on it. Be unflinching in your self-criticism when questioning your story's internal logic and plotholes but not too harsh on yourself. You want your story to be the best it can be. And by the same token, if something's not working, don't be afraid to scrap it or put it aside and come back to it later when you're more experienced. Everyone's finished story is vastly different to their initial synopses.

As with fiction writing, sound advice is to read/watch what you want to make. I love shonen anime/manga so I watch/read/am inspired by my favourite series. Not only in character/storytelling tropes, but also in terms of shot composition etc.

If you need to brush up on your art fundamentals do it as soon as possible but have fun with it and don't get too bogged down in the drills etc unless you really enjoy that stuff. Noodle around, play to your strengths, work on weaknesses and get as much feedback from laymen and hobbyists as you can.

In terms of webcomicing, definitely take the time to work on your website. The more thorough you are the better. I have stumbled upon countless webcomics where the site is either bare-bones, formatted poorly, suffers from garish design, or there's no just care put into it. If you have a dream project put everything you have into it. Make that cast page, make sure all those links are functional. I put my stuff up for a month before official launch just to ensure the site was working fine and am still refining it/working on it now.

I'm no expert to this as this is my first comic as well, but this advice hasn't steered me wrong yet. Good luck with all your endeavours and ask if you need help![/b]

[GlassRain]

I say, do go with your first idea! Or at least the first idea you have a serious interest in. Your second and third ideas will probably be better, but when you get to them, they will benefit from all the practice you got making the first.

Most of my favorite webcomics are not the artist's first webcomic. The Hazards of Love, Spacetrawler, Leif & Thorn, and Sleepless Domain are good examples. If you compare them to the artists' earlier webcomics you can see how much they learned and grew.

Give yourself an update schedule and stick to it. (This also means being honest with yourself about the update schedule you can stick to.)

Get a site where you can queue updates and readers can leave comments. SmackJeeves and Tumblr seem to be the most popular these days among free hosts. You can also buy your own site space and install Wordpress.

A pretty site is good, but as long as it's functional people will read it. Look at xkcd, it's just boxes and a header and a handful of links.

"Make the kind of thing you want to read" is good advice. When a writer doesn't care about their subject and is just going through the motions it feels joyless and uninspiring. Make something you love.

[MK_Wizard]

My advice is always make sure you are enjoying what you do. When it stops being fun, you are doing something wrong. Also, be social by being active in forums and mingling with people. Until your comic is popular enough, hosting your webcomic on different free listings so you can get it out there.